I figured it was better to put this stuff here than have it in my browser's bookmarks.

Honestly, I've never had troubles making small purchases from any of the above. Harvest sells/services large equipment (mixers/folders/stretchers) and small stuff like Bannetons, peels, thermometers, etc. If I'm looking for something specific, I usually call to check their stock.

I just had an idea. Are any of my fellow Ontarians close enough to Organic Abundance to organize the division of a 10 kg bag of organic rye flour? If there is interest this is what I propose: when we are ready, I order the bag of the type of flour we choose between us. I'd be willing to bet the owner of Organic Abundance would divide it for us and we could pick up our share at our convenience.

Any takers? We could also do this with whole wheat too.

In the mean time I will double check with the owner what size and types of rye she can get.

We might achieve a bit of savings too. I know she does not want to get stuck with a big bag of flour for which there is little demand.

I was just reading about flour and thought i might add some helpful info that I know as a small artisan bakery owner who uses Oak Manor and New life grains exclusively

OAK Manor carries wonderful ryes, spelts and whole grain flours. Not only are they organic but they are also locally grown. Oak Manor can be purchased thru the Ontario natural Food Co op. This means that pretty much any health food store in Ontario has access to their flours and grains. You can also drive out to their farm store and purchase directly from they at a much lower price. As for New life mills they are a great mill and their flour is very consistent and has a wonderful grind.

I can also tell you that on many occasions before we had a bakery we would wander over to the bakery section of loblaws and ask for a chunk of yeast and they always sold it to us.

It's been a while and I apologize to the baker who replied to my query about the rye flour. Economic meltdown raised its ugly head here for about two months.

So, I have ordered a 10 kg bag of organic RYE FLOUR. It should cost about $20 Canadian plus or minus a few dollars because of the economy. I would like to share this out with any takers. I would be happy with 5 kg or even 2,5 kg.

I spoke to Annette, the owner of Organic Abundance and she was delighted to be listed here for you all. I am sure you will find her as pleasant as I do!

She orders flour every Monday and it arrives at Bloor and Royal York for that Friday a.m.

I have had tremendous success with everything I have purchased here and can endorse this store. They have opened a new store on Yonge, in the North End of the city (Toronto) so that should be of help to more artisanal bakers out there. They do have a website, but as of yet email is not how they take orders, you have to use the phone. If we can get up a roster, maybe we can get some more exotic flours or blends~ like seven grain type etc.

Anyway, must run for now. Thanks for your patience and support for me and for this terrific shop.

I'm in Central Etobicoke and I buy my flour from a store near Royal York and Bloor. Actually it's at Brentwood Ave and Bloor Street West( just one street west of Royal York). It's called Organic Abundance

416-234-5258

Address: 3066 Bloor Street West Toronto

They will get hard whole wheat organic or white hard wheat unbleached, organic flour in 10 kg or 20 kg bags. I can often split a 10 kg bag of Organic Whole Wheat (hard) with the owner at the bulk price.

I paid $17 for the last 10 kg bag (22 lbs in November) and it was from A and E Fine Foods

19811 Woodbine Ave

905-478-1500

The last bag I bought at Organic Abundance was from New Life Mills in Hanover Ontario. They are about three hours northwest of Toronto. I have been to that mill with a friend and it's a fantastic resource.

My problem has been getting smaller bags of organic rye flour, because I don't use that much. For some reason my Organic's Store will not order from Bob's Red Mill (with whom they do business and have that size) or anywhere else for a smaller quantity. That would be the most convenient way for me. So far I can't convince them to get it. *sigh*

Thanks for the references in Ontario. I really don't like ordering from the U.S. and going through all that bother to get it across the border when I know there have to be resources here in Ontario.

I hope the above information helps and I am going to try to "suss" out the rye for myself.

Thanks for the links and contact info Liam. I've updated the original post with all this.

You might want to talk to the folks at Organic Abundance and see if they will carry some of the Oak Manor or Merrylynd rye. I know that Oak Manor packages in smaller bags (2kg, 5kg, 10kg, 25kg) for sale at many of the shops in K-W (including a few larger Zehrs).

Just wanted to add that Merryland Flour in Lakefield website is having problems will be up and running soon the contact is Peter Leahy the mill number is 705 755 0519 they stone mill several types of flour

In my search for rye flour at a decent price, I asked at a Cob's if it might be possible to buy rye flour from them. Alas, the answer was no. (The fellow was very nice about it though.) One of our local health food stores sells organic rye flour for $1/lb (just over $2/kilo).

The ACE Bakery [is an] artisan bakery creating handmade, European-style rustic breads. The gentle shaping of each loaf, long periods for slow rising, and a stone-deck oven, all work to create exceptionally flavourful breads. We use only the best, all-natural ingredients, with no preservatives.

Ace has introduced a bake your own version of their bread. I had one of their baguettes the other night at friends; it was very good. For the Ace outlet nearest you: (416) 241-3600, or 1-800-443-7929

-Elizabeth, in West Toronto

P.S. As much as I like Ace bread, I'd still rather eat bread I'd made here at home....

Thanks for suggesting ACE... I've added them to the original post. I've seen ACE bread carried at Zehrs and a few local shops but not actually been to their bakery. I have been happy with the rye from from Oak Mannors but it would be a bit of a trek from TO. Meryland lists a few retailers in York and Markham but I'm not sure if they carry their rye flour. Nevertheless, it might be worth inquiring about.

As much as I like Ace bread, I'd still rather eat bread I'd made here at home

Thanks for the link to Merrylynd; I see that rye flour is sold wholesale there. The price is tempting but I don't think we can manage to store 25kg of rye flour at a time. 5kg, yes, but 25kg? It would take us eons to get through that much rye flour. No doubt it would go off before we went through even half a bag.

Thanks for the Ontario source list! I'm currently waiting for some hard white spring wheat through Merrylynd (note spelling) since they are in my area and I wanted to find a locally grown and processed flour. The reason I'm waiting is that they told me the quality for their own wheat was poor last year with all the rain and cold and that this particular batch is still local but not from their own farm. It should be available in the next few days. Merrylynd does not sell unbleached white, but they carry something called "fine sifted" or "light" wheat flour, which has had the bran sifted out of it. I'm not sure how well it compares to AP or unbleached bread flour but I like the fact that it still has the wheat germ in it. (Is anyone out there familiar with this version of wheat flour?) Since I'll be buying a 25 kilo bag I'll be experimenting and will report back!

Bulk Barn does have a good selection of flour (not organic though) but I'd like to know where it comes from. I will try to find out.

Thanks for the spelling correction! I haven't actually bought from Merrylynd but, regarding last year's wheat crop, I've heard similar things from some CSA farmers I've talked with. I know that Oak Manor gets its organic white unbleached AP milled/sifted in London (not sure which one) and I've been meaning to write them again and ask more detailed questions. In terms of getting information, La Milanaise (Quebec) is very quick to send info if you ask for technical details. At the moment I'm collecting flour for a bake-off sourdough comparison ;)

Last time I spoke to Perry Riebling at Oak Manor, he was getting his unbleached white flour milled at Arva Flour Mills north of London. The flour itself is milled from local hard red winter wheat, it's flecked quite heavily with bran and germ (for a white flour).

I thought I would post this reply from Perry about last year's and this year's organic flours. I found the texture of the flour to be less "silky" than the flours I had been getting through Organic Abundance. I have my answer plus a little useful information. I had some concerns as my loaves did not seem to have the same volume I was accustomed to. Perry wrote "

The flour has been enriched with the B-vitamins which is law, but has no other treatment. The flour is made with only hard wheat which grinds grittier that a blend of hard and soft, also the flour is ground at an old heritage mill using very old fashioned equipment. We use only Ontario grown hard wheat which is slighty lower in protein which means the bread may not have the same volume. Is this the problem you are having? For the record the Hard Wheat this year is slighty higher in protein that last season. The lot # you quoted (organic lot #90401610120 6/16) was last years crop.

I often find fresh yeast in European/Polish/Ukranian etc delicatessens in Bloor West Village. I'm willing to be that any such small grocery store, deli, or bakery in your area will stock it. It's usually in the cooler with the cheeses.

Your best bet might be to ask at a European bakery/deli. Many will sell you a reasonably sized piece for $1. A foodie friend living in downtown suggested

Karpaty Pastry & Deli, 2408 Bloor Street West, (416) 769-2159

but I've not been there myself (yet). In the tri-cities areay I've found it in natural food stores and, occasionaly, some of the larger supermarkets (check in the cooler near the rolls of cookie dough and ready-made pastry).

At the moment my bakery list needs some work... I've been really into French-style sourdoughs of late and have completely skipped the Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Portugese, (etc) bakeries in town. If anyone knows of a gem, please post!

Just thought to add a southern Ontario source that has not been mentioned as yet. Grain Process Enterprises, 105 Commander Blvd, Scarborough M1S 3M7; 416-291-3226, is actually a warehouse operation that sells primarily to the baking trade. However, they do have a smallish retail store, pretty basic, and carry both large bags and small of some of the flours mentioned, including Red Fife, organic bread flour, etc., plus a pretty good selection of bulk instant yeast, seeds, nuts and so on. The prices are pretty good and the turnover is high. I've been using their unbleached bread flour for years with consistently good results.

Commander Blvd. runs west off McCowan, something like three or four lights north of the 401. Grain Process is on the left hand side, just at a pronounced bend in the road and set back quite a bit. The retail operation does not have a sign, as such, just an Open sign in the door glass at the back of the parking lot. Not normally open Saturdays, except in summer.

It's also worth mentioning that there are some very good Portuguese bakeries in the west end of the city (north of Bloor). Don't have any names at the moment, but I'll try to get them and report. There's nothing quite like a corn flour roll from one of them. Tried to get the recipe; failed miserably. Interesting cakes and such, too.

Thanks for adding Grain Process to the list. Would love to see a specifications sheet for their unbleached bread flour. Any chance you could post one? Personally have not baked with this flour but would love to try sometime.

Sorry, I don't have a spec sheet on their "Hard Unbleached White Flour," but you could probably get the info by calling them. I was told, verbally, that the proteing content runs at about 13.5% and the hard, red spring wheat grain comes from southeaster Saskatchewan. No info on ash content, though. About the most complete specs I've seen (right on the bag) comes from LaMilanese in Quebec.

IMO, we have a hidden treasure here in the Ottawa area. Mountain Path Inc stone mills organic flour, and also has the best organic large flake oatmeal I've ever had (I'm a bit of an oatmeal connoisseur). My family has started getting most of our organic groceries and home supplies from them. I believe they have free or nearly free deliveries for much of the Ottawa area on orders above $300 and, if I'm not mistaken, free delivers to Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada on deliveries over $1000. I only discovered their grocery service recently (up until now, we've been buying their flour and oatmeal in small packets from the local health food store)...

I stumbled on this site and thread when searching online for whole rye flour sources in Ontario; I'm located in Toronto.

Recently learned about K2 milling in Tottenham (West of HWY 400, a bit South of Alliston) and figured it'd make a good addition to the list. Small mill producing locally sourced, mostly organic flours.

At last I've found a source for Rogers' Flour (rogersfoods.com) in Toronto. It's not Ontario flour but it is available in Ontario. Their "no additive" all-purpose is available in 10kg bags (smaller ones too) at Highland Farms Grocery Stores (highlandfarms.ca) Also available are smaller bags of Roger's dark rye flour and 100% whole wheat.

Here's what Rogers website reports about the whole wheat flour:

A high quality flour made from Canadian hard spring wheat containing the goodness of the whole wheat kernel.

We've been making bread for the last month with Rogers' flour and are really happy with it. Almost ecstatic, even. My husband had developed a sensitivity to flour with the additive Azodicarbonamide [ADA] (at least we think it was this that was making the skin on his hands peel off). ADA is defined alternately as a bleaching agent or enhancing agent. Unfortunately, both Robin Hood and Five Roses "unbleached" flour have ADA added to them. So does Loblaws No Name so-called unbleached flour. So does Weston's flour. (Note that ADA is forbidden as a flour additive in many parts of Europe - because it's unsafe. Congratulations North America for ignoring the health concerns of many just so profits can stay nice and high!!)

-Elizabeth

P.S. Next time I go to Highland Farms, I'll see if Rogers White Bread Flour is there too. It too is unbleached. And then... bagels!!!

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